Combination lawn bench and table



April 21, 1959 Filed NOV. 6, 1956 F. F. ANDERSON COMBINATION LAWN BENCH AND TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet -l April 21, 1959 F. F. ANDERSON COMBINATION LAWN BENCH AND TABLE- Filed NOV. 6, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent COMBINATION LAWN BENCH AND TABLE Frank F. Anderson, Fort Smith, Ark.

Application November 6, 1956, Serial No. 620,616

1 Claim. (Cl. 155-43) This invention relates broadly to the art of furniture and in its more specific aspects it relates to an article of furniture which is convertible from a lawn bench to a table; and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood by those skilled in the arts to which it relates in the light of the following explanation and detailed description of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I at present believe to be the preferred embodiments or mechanical expressions of my invention from among various other forms, arrangements, combinations and constructions, of which the invention is capable within the spirit and scope thereof.

With the tremendous present day interest in out of doors activities such as picnicking and dining in the open the need for suitable furniture for such activities is great. It has now become common practice in clement weather to spend much time sitting in the open and eating in the open and it will be apparent that if the proper types of furniture are not available it is necessary to provide both chairs and tables for such activities. In many cases this requires the carrying of chairs and tables to the yard or other site where the resting, dining or picnicking is to take place.

It will be evident that it would be highly desirable to provide in a single unit both a seating means and a support means such as a table upon which the meal may be eaten. This type of furniture would eliminate the need for separate chairs and tables and would greatly ease the burden of preparing for out of doors resting and eating to say nothing of substantially reducing the number of pieces of separate furniture which would be required for an out of doors picnic.

The combination in a single unit of furniture of both a table and chair is of course highly desirable but it will be recognized that an even more desirable article of furniture for the purposes mentioned would be had if such article of furniture was so designed that it could serve as a comfortable bench or the like when it was to be used solely for sitting purposes yet could be easily and rapidly converted into a combination table and bench when it was desired to use it as an article of furniture of practical use for dining, and when the meal was completed could be just as easily re-converted back into bench or chair form.

It has been one of my major purposes in designing this combination lawn bench and table to provide a lawn bench which may be converted into a bench and table and also returned to its bench condition.

In providing this convertible article of furniture I have provided a unique type of construction which facilitates and makes easy the conversion of the unit from one type of furniture to the other and which involves few working parts so that under normal conditions of use it will have a long and useful life. It has been so designed and constructed that it is unnecessary in the conversion operation to manipulate any hooks, levers or the like elements and by merely moving certain parts of the article of fumiture they are positioned and secured for use as either a 2,882,957 Patented Apr. 21, 1959 bench or a table and bench. It is thus easy to convert from one form of furniture to the other, so easy in fact that the operation may easily be performed by a child.

In providing this practical and useful article of furniture I have been aware of the fact that it must be of sturdy construction to serve the purposes for which designed and by evolving one with few working parts and of simple construction I have been able to keep low the costs of construction so that its use may be more widespread.

My invention involves the broad concept of utilizing the back of the bench as the table section when it is converted into a table and bench combination. When in this form it resembles the conventional picnic table, however, it will be realized that it has been essential to provide means for securely yet removably maintaining the back section of the bench in position forming the table section. It is a novel and unique arrangement of parts and elements that I have provided to produce the necessary and useful result. I have accomplished this in an inexpensive and simple manner and one that assures that the table section will remain in the desired horizontal table forming position and may not be accidentally tipped or otherwise displaced from its table forming position. These highly advantageous results have been accomplished without having to resort to hooks or other extraneous means which must be manipulated by the person converting the article of furniture from one form to the other.

The combination lawn bench and table of this invention is designed especially for use out of doors, although it may of course be used just as satisfactorily indoors, and must be able to withstand rain and other weather conditions. It has therefore been one of my purposes to design this article of furniture out of materials practical for use out of doors, and also to provide a construction which may be made out of various materials so as to satisfy the various tastes of users and also the demands of varying weather conditions and climatic areas.

In designing this combination lawn bench and table it has also been one of my objects to provide a unit of furniture which may be combined or placed next to another similar article of furniture to thereby provide two benches and a table section of greater size than the size of a single unit.

With the foregoing general objects, features and results in view, as well as certain others which will be apparent from the following explanation, the invention consists in certain novel features in design, construction, mounting and combination of elements, as will be more fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the combination lawn bench and table converted into a table and bench.

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the combination lawn bench and table converted into the form of a lawn Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view with parts broken away taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an end view in elevation of a modified form of combination lawn bench and table converted into a lawn bench.

Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional view of the modified form 7 of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings showing one form of the mounting and securing means for the table section when the article of furniture is converted into table and chair form.

Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view of a further form of mounting and securing means for the table section when the article of furniture is converted into table and chair form.

Fig. 9 is a view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the nurneral 1.to designate the front legs of the supporting framework for the combination lawn bench and table, the numeral 3 to designate the cross seat supporting piece, one of which extends rearwardly from the top of each front leg and the numeral 5 to designate the rear legs, one of which extends from the rear end of each cross piece 3. The rear legs are inclined rearwa'rdly so that when used as a bench there will be no danger of the unit tipping over backward. Lower transverse pieces 7 may also be provided extending between and connected to the front and rear legs. Extending vertically upwardly from the top end of each rear leg 5 in substantially parallel relation with respect to the front legs is a back and table section supporting post 9. The framework comprising the members 1, 3, 5 and 9 is preferably though not necessarily formed of any sort of metallic tubing and may be formed as an integral unit or as separate elements welded or otherwise suitably rigidly secured together, providing a sturdy supporting framework for the seat and back or table section.

Any number of suitable plank elements 11 are secured to and extend between cross members 3 to provide the seat for the combination lawn bench and table. While I have illustrated the elements 11 in the drawings as being wooden planks it is to be understood that these may be formed of any suitable material and may be provided in one or any number of pieces, and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Each of the posts 9 is preferably though not necessarily formed with a thickened portion 13 at its upper end and each such post is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed slots 14 therein which extend downwardly a distance from a point adjacent to but removed from the top of the post.

I have used the numeral 16 to designate in its entirety the member of the article of furniture which forms the back of the bench when the article of furniture is in bench forming position and forms the table section when the bench is converted into a combination bench and table. This member 16 may comprise a plurality of planks 18 which may be held together by angle irons or the like 20, one preferably being transversely secured across the elements 18 adjacent each end thereof. While I have disclosed the elements 18 as being wooden planks it is within my contemplation to form the back and the table forming section out of any suitable material.

On the underside of the member 16 adjacent to but inwardly spaced from each end thereof and at substantially the transverse center thereof I fix a bracket element comprising a body plate 22 which may be secured to the elements 18 by means of a bolt 24, or in any other convenient and suitable manner. Each bracket also includes legs 26, one of which depends downwardly from opposite ends of the body plate 22. Fixed in any suitable manner to the body plate 22 between the legs 26 is what I shall term a plug 28, this plug may be of tubular construction or it may be solid and, for a reason to be hereinafter made clear the plug 28 which is of cylindrical configuration and of less depth than the depth of the legs is also of less O.D. than the LD. of the post 9.

The back and table forming section 16 is operatively mounted on the posts 9 by means of a bolt and nut 30 which extends through each pair of opposed slots 14 in each post 9 and is fixed at its ends to the legs 26. Fig. 4 particularly illustrated the position of the member 16 when the article of furniture is being used as a lawn bench, the back forming member 16 being in rearwardly inclined vertical position, bearing against the upper thickened peripheral edges of the posts 9 and the lower edge of the elements 18 may bear against the cross pieces 3. When it is desired to convert the bench into the bench and table combination it is merely necessary to swing the member 16 upwardly in an arc and raise it sufliciently with the bolts 30 sliding upwardly in the slots 14 until each plug is over the top of each post 9, whereupon the member 16 is lowered and the plugs are received in the upper ends of the posts. It will be apparent that I have so placed the underside of the member 16 so that when the member is swung upwardly into horizontal table section forming position the plugs will be properly disposed so they will be received in the upper ends of the tubular posts 9.

With the member 16 swung into horizontal table forming position it will be appreciated that it will be securely maintained in this position due to the reception of the plugs within the posts and that it cannot be moved from this position or tilted without a positive lifting thereof so that the plugs will be free of the posts. It is only necessary to lift the member 16 and then swing it in an arc downwardly in order to convert the table and bench combination into the lawn bench condition. It will be recognized that these various operations are performed easily and simply and without the manipulation of any levers, hooks or other mechanism, and that when the member 16 is in horizontal position it is in effect locked in this position with no danger of its being accidentally displaced. It is locked in this position without having to use any extraneous locking mechanism or the like.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings I have illustrated a further form which my invention may take and in this form I have'used the same reference numerals to indicate parts which are similar to those hercinbefore described. In this form of invention the bracket includes the body plate 22, however the legs 32 of the brackets are elongated relative to the legs 26 and are provided with longitudinally extending opposed slots 34 therein. A bolt or rod 36 is fixed to and extends through each post 9 and radially on each thereof to extend through the slots 34. Thus, when the member 16 is swung from back forming position to table forming position the bolt 36 is fixed and does not move and the bracket slides along the bolt and is maintained in proper position with respect to the posts by the bolt extending through the slots in the legs of the brackets.

Figs. 8 and 9 are illustrative of yet another form which my invention may take. In these figures I have used the same reference numerals to illustrate similar parts as have been heretofore used. It may be desirable in some instances to produce the combination lawn bench with a part of or all of the framework made from elements other than tubular elements and in Figs. 8 and 9 I have disclosed the posts 38 as being of solid type or construction, it is to be understood that the posts 38 are the equivalent and serve the same function as the posts 9 which have been described. In this form of my invention I provide on the underside of member 16 brackets which comprise the body plates 22 fixed to the member by bolts 24, each bracket includes the depending legs 26 and the cross bolt 30. Each solid post 38 is provided with a slot 40 extending therethrough which serves the same function as the slots 14 in the posts 9, and, of course the bolts 30 extend through these slots 40. I fix a cup shaped element 42 to the plate 22 between the legs 26, this cup shaped element may be fixed in position by the bolt 24 extending therethrough or it may be welded or otherwise afiixed to the plate. The cup shaped element 42 is of greater diameter than the upper end of the post 38 so that the latter may be received therein. When the member 16 in this form of my invention is swung from back forming position to table section forming position the bolt 30 rides up wardly in slot 40 until the cup shaped element is in position over the top of the post whereupon a lowering of the member 16 causes the upper end of the post to be received in the cup and the table section is firmly and securely mounted and maintained in the proper position.

It will be recognized that the slotted bracket may be substituted for the slotted post in Fig. 6 of the drawings and the function and operation of the article of furniture will be the same.

A double bench and table arrangement may be formed by using a pair of combination tables and benches. In order to accomplish this all that is necessary is to convert each article of furniture into the combined bench and table by swinging the members 16 into horizontal table section forming position and then place the articles of furniture back to back so that the table sections are abutting and in alignment. When this is done the table section is twice as large and there is a bench for each longitudinal side of the table.

It will now be apparent that I have provided an article of furniture which may be easily converted from a bench into a combination bench and table, and that when so converted the table forming section may not be accidentally displaced and may only be moved back into bench back forming position by a lifting and then a swinging action.

I claim:

In a convertible article of furniture, a supporting framework, a seat mounted on and supported by said framework, a pair of spaced tubular elements mounted on said framework and projecting upwardly therefrom above said seat, said tubular elements being open at their upper ends and being provided with longitudinally extending diametrically opposed slots extending toward but spaced from the upper open ends of the elements, a member having spaced pairs of legs rigidly fixed to and depending therefrom, each leg of the pairs of legs being positioned adjacent a slot in an element and a pair of rods, one of said rods being connected to and extending between one pair of legs and the other rod being connected to and extending between the other pair of legs and each rod being extended through an opposed set of slots and longitudinally slidable therein whereby the member is swingably and slidably connected to said tubular elements for swinging to and from back forming position relative to said seat to table forming position, and said member when in table forming position being seated on the upper ends of said tubular elements, and depending elements fixed to said member and received in the upper ends of said tubular elements when the member is in table forming position to maintain the member against lateral movement relative to said tubular elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 155,231 Francis Sept. 22, 1874 619,666 Byrne Feb. 14, 1899 1,271,830 Austin July 9, 1918 1,757,960 Greenstreet May 13, 1930 2,702,584 Williams et al Feb. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,507 Great Britain Apr. 14, 1902 

